The film sets out to do a lot at once, which is quite necessary to create a thorough storyline, but at times doesn't come out right on film. The film could have done without some of the lame subplots such as Duvall's marriage, even though those scenes illustrate his perception of being 'weak' or 'whipped'.

On one hand, we see an ordinary family man going bezerk (but in a way most of us can understand) and on the other hand we see a cop who believes Foster is a complete psychopath. The fact that the film is two stories in one (Foster and Prendergast) provides a good contrast because the viewer gets to see both sides of the story.

The bits of humor throughout the film are mostly derived from over-the-top scenes, and at times Foster's actions seem cheesy and unrealistic. Where Falling Down fails at times is during the scenes where it attempts to do too many things at once. Most viewers will find this upsetting or even unfair, considering that he fought back against many criminals and unjust forces. However, at the end of the day, Foster is still 'the bad guy' for going against the societal grain. To illustrate this, most people who watch this film naturally pull for him and see him as being a hero, mostly out of pure sympathy. However, unlike most people he decides to 'fight the system' and wage war on the everyday annoyances that we all face. Each situation Bill Foster (Michael Douglas) faces is one that most people can relate to. It succeeds in doing so, but one must look carefully. 'Falling Down' is a film that intends to point out the many quirks and oddities of modern urban society.

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